MASTERS OPEN WATER SWIMMING RULES (MOWS)

Masters Open Water Swimming shall be defined as any event for which the distance is greater than 1500 metres and where entry is restricted to Master swimmers. Masters Swimming age groups shall apply.

The Open Water Swimming Rules in Part IV of the FINA Handbook shall apply to Masters Open Water Swimming with the following exceptions.

MOWS 1 Masters Open Water Swimming events will be up to 5 km. No Masters open water events should be held in water less than an average of 18° Centigrade.

MOWS 2 A Masters Open Water Swimming event may be included in World Championships.

MOWS 3 Swimmers shall be seeded according to age groups from the youngest to the oldest. Swimmers may be selected irrespective of gender. The slowest entered swimmers of each age group may comprise and be seeded in special heat(s).

MOWS 4 Race organisers, in consultation with the referee and subject to advice from the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee, are to designate in advance the cut off time for each Masters race. As a rough guide, a time of 30 minutes per kilometre could apply.